A FIVE year old boy is recovering in hospital after his hand was impaled on a broken metal fence.

Brandon Scrivens was walking home from The Orchards nursery school with his older brother when the accident happened.

Little Brandon had been running his hand along the railings outside Cherry Tree primary school when he was impaled on a sharp metal bar sticking out.

Fire crews were called on Monday afternoon to cut the youngster free.

Now mum Tina Knowles is demanding action from the school.

Ms Knowles, aged 37, of Hawes Avenue, Farnworth, said: "Brandon has had an operation to have the fence removed and his hand cleaned, but if his arteries are damaged he might need plastic surgery. I'm so angry and upset.

"What makes it worse is that the school haven't even rung me to see how he is. They have offered no support. It was a traumatising experience for Brandon and us.

"I had an appointment so Lewis picked him up and as they walked towards home Brandon was running his hand across the railings as kids often do.

"But when he got to the broken one his hand went straight through it like a spear. He tried to take his hand out but it was too late — he was stuck.

"One of the bars has split in two and half of that bar is like a blade it's so sharp."

Brandon was taken to Royal Bolton Hospital where he had an operation to take out the fence and stitch his left hand up.

Ms Knowles said: "We don't know as yet what the injuries are long term. They were going to send him to Manchester Children's Hospital to see a plastic surgeon but thankfully they just removed it in Bolton and cleaned the wound — but they said he might still be prone to an infection.

"The firefighters were fantastic. I can't thank them enough for how they kept up Brandon's spirits. He was such a little trooper and really brave. There was also another woman who was calming him down too."

Ms Knowles claims the metal railings have been broken since Christmas.

Executive headteacher at The Orchards, Andy Feeley, said: “We were very sorry to hear of this incident. We take the safety of our pupils extremely seriously and will endeavour to ensure this does not happen again. When we were alerted to the incident the emergency services were called immediately and the fence has since been repaired.

“Brandon is bright and popular pupil and his classmates are missing him. We all wish him a speedy recovery.”